


and we run (indefinite hiatus)

by fancyachatup



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Bonding, Gay, Hunters, Knotting, M/M, Mates, Prince Harry - Freeform, Royalty, Soulmates, Traditions, prince - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-12
Updated: 2015-06-12
Packaged: 2018-04-04 00:19:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4119783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fancyachatup/pseuds/fancyachatup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alpha Harry Styles is next to inherit the throne in their kingdom of Arden, but when it's discovered that his soulmate in none other than a very male Omega named Louis Tomlinson, they are thrown out into the unknown. </p>
<p>No one has ventured into the outside for years after the attack of the hybrids, yet here they are trecking their way through the darkness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The steel walls loom over the crowds of people, the shadows bouncing off of buildings and homes. It remained shiny and sleek, no signs of rust, just as it had been for the past 4,000 years. 

The Wall was put up by the King James ages ago, and took nearly 200 years to complete. It was cleaned and repaired by the hour, ensuring safety and protection from what was outside, or rather who was outside. The subjects under the kingdom knew that as long as The Wall stood that they would remain protected from the hybrids that had come. 

Their kind spent hundreds of years, planning on the capture of each and every alpha that lived under King James's rule. The idea was to exterminate the superior race, leaving them unlimited access to thousand of helpless and submissive omegas who would have no choice but to submit to them. 

You see, the hybrids were part human and part alpha. They dated back to the 80 century, appearing after a woman was raped by an alpha. The alpha was sentenced to death for revealing the secret of the universe hidden within the humans' routines, as well as his crime of hurting and raping an innocent human. Before the alpha could be killed, however, the humans came after the other species. 

Thanks to their superior strength and finesse, the alphas were able to protect their omegas, and killed off every human to prevent this disastrous event from ever happening again. The woman was spared, for she had done nothing wrong. She bore two sons, and later died due to childbirth complications. The sons grew up on their own somewhere in the outskirts of the Kingdom of Arden, banished since no one was able to care for the after the passing of their mother. 

The twins, Nathan and Max, were spiteful and full of hatred, blaming the Kingdom for their mother's death. They reproduced and assembled an army, and when they got too old to go through with their promises of death and destruction, their children took over. 

It continued like this for several generations, until at last the plan was revealed. In a drunken stupor, a man of high ranking within the hybrid army spilled his secret to a one night stand. She fled to the castle and requested an immediate hearing with the King, who was called Greg at the time, and told him of the awful news. 

King Greg sent out his finest men to kill off the hybrids, and although they didn't wipe the species out entirely, their numbers were reduced by 90%. With the threat level so low, the king's new focus became a way to protect his people from future wars and enemies. He sought council with his most trusted advisors and they came to the conclusion that a wall was the only way to ensure true and utter protection. Years later, King James completed it, and here we are at present day. 

The current ruler is King Robin Twist, who rules with the lovely Queen Anne by his side. Together they have strengthened the kingdom, alongside their two children, Prince Harry and Princess Gemma of Arden.

King Robin is abdicating the throne soon, and is entrusting it to his only son, Harry, who happens to be an Alpha. However, before King Robing can step down, Harry Styles must find his mate.

The Prince's is almost of age to take over the throne. Consequently his Coming of Age Party is happening in just one more day, on his 18th birthday.


	2. Part 1 //Prepare

Waking up today, it really hit me that today was actually the day that I would be legally eligible to start searching for my mate. I jumped out of bed with more energy than I have had in a long time, and stood in front of my mirror trying to determine if I looked like any more of an alpha today. 

 

I had presented a bit earlier than most on my 16th birthday. Like everyone else though, I reported to the Alpha Wing of the infirmary immediately after presenting. All alphas were required to show up to get their information packets as well as register for Alpha Training where we learned everything from how to handle our ruts, courtship, and how to take care of our Omega during their heats. I had completed mine a year after I began, and was looking forward to putting everything I learned into action.

 

"Harry, darling!" I turned to the door of my bedroom chambers and saw my mother, Queen Anne, standing there with her hands over her eyes.

 

"Are you decent my love?" She questioned.

 

I rolled my eyes before answering her, "Mother I'm decent enough. I have still got my night clothes on."

 

"Do hurry my sweet. We are having breakfast served in the drawing room today, so we will all be waiting for you there, yes?"

 

"Of course Mum." I responded immediately. With that, she turned and walked down the hall, presumably towards the drawing room, or perhaps to go check and see if Gemma was ready yet.

 

I ran my hand through my hair before walking over to my wardrobe, getting dressed for the day ahead of me.

 

As soon as I finished dressing, I walked quickly down to the drawing room where I was met with the faces of Mum, Dad, and Gemma. I took a deep breath before sitting down across from my sister.

 

"Lovely of you to finally join us Haz," Mum chided lightly, raising her eyebrows at my tardiness.

 

I gave her a tight smile and awaited to be served by the cooks.

 

"Leave the boy alone Anne. He has got quite a big day ahead of him." I turned to my father, nodding in thanks. I was quite stressed about this evening, as my Coming of Age Party was taking place.

 

"Ah, yes brother. How are you holding up?" Gemma asked, her eyes sympathetic.

I waited to finish chewing my food before glancing back up to her. Gemma's ceremony was two years ago, and she knew how stressful it was. Practically the entire Kingdom showed up to witness the proclamations of the person of honor. I was to make several speeches, as well as designate my hunters. After all of my decisions were voiced, the party would take place. It consisted of several traditions that have been passed down throughout many generations since the beginning of the Kingdom of Arden. It was at this party that I would be fully recognized as an Alpha, legally become a man, and begin the search for my mate immediately.

 

"A bit nervous if I'm being quite honest. Don't want to mess up or make the wrong choices on today of all days." I mumbled my fears under my breath, secretly wanting to be reassured.

 

''You have nothing to be worried about Son. You are quite the catch, and any girl in this Kingdom would be happy to have you. Plus, you have had over two years to consider who you want as your hunters. I'm sure you'll make the perfect choice," Robin spoke, his face beaming in pride.

 

I guess it was sort of true. Since presenting, I had been thinking about all of the people I had to choose from to become my hunters. I would have two hunters to assist me throughout my courtship. They would accompany me on night hunts to help me prove to my mate that I would be able to provide for her, as well as showing that I was capable of making good decisions. When a hunter was chosen, the Alpha who chose him or her was placing all of his trust in them since they would have unlimited and unmonitored time with the Alpha's (future) mate. The hunters would also be responsible for watching their Alpha's back whilst he was hunting.

 

The Night Hunting process was pretty much an excuse to show off your strength. My hunters and I would go out into the woods every night for seven days, and each morning we would bring back an animal that we had killed. The first night would be something rather small, such as a rabbit. The next day the size and difficulty of the kill would increase until the last day, where we would go after a hybrid. Unfortunately, all of this took place outside of The Wall, which was precisely the point; it showed our strength and bravery. 

 

As if they could sense my hesitation and discomfort about this topic, they thankfully steered the topics of conversation away from my impending party. We ate our meal and had small talk, ranging from the newly hired staff members to redecorating the armory. All in all, it was a lovely breakfast with the family.

 

After we finished, we dispersed into different directions. Mum was off to check up on the decorations in the ballroom, while Gemma was going out into town for some last minute shopping before the party. Dad went off to speak with his council members, and I decided I'd go sit in my room and pace the floor until it became time for me to get ready for the party.

 

Staying true to my words, I spent a majority of my day walking around my room, trying to distract myself, but failing miserably. I tried to read the book Mum had bought me earlier last week, but as soon as I opened it up to the first page my mind just kept buzzing about the party. I huffed and returned the book back to it's shelf before plopping myself down onto my bed.

 

I put my arms behind my head and stared at the ceiling for some time before I hopped off and walked out the door, and down the hall to my study. I looked through the papers laying on my desk, stopping on the one labeled Courtship - Serenading. I picked it up slowly, briefly scanning through the words. 

 

Once I found my mate, I would begin the courtship phase of our relationship. This consisted of the Night Hunting, of course, and serenading. It was basically just meant to prove that the Alpha performing for his or her Omega would also be a loving and compassionate mate in addition to everything that the Night Hunting would prove.

"Prince Harry, may I come in Your Highness?" I recognized the voice as one of my trusted butlers, Geoff. I stood up and straightened out my clothes before giving him permission to enter. 

"The Queen insists that you get ready immediately, seeing as your party is quickly approaching. You have about an hour, Prince Harry." Geoff said whilst he brought in a rack of clothing, all various kinds of suits, shoes, and crowns. 

"You'll be helping me if I'm not mistaken, yes?" My voice was muffled as I began to pull my shirt over my head, beginning to undress.

"Of course sir!" Geoff did his best to hurry up the process, holding up suits in front of me and judging whether or not they made me look good or bad. Eventually we settled on a navy blue suit, paired with some black shoes. My robe was green, the color of my eyes, and it was only worn on special occasions, such as tonight. It looked more like a cape than a an actual robe, but I was still looking dapper as ever. At least that's what Geoff told me. 

A new crown was made in my honor, specifically for this event, and it shone brightly. The silver sparkled in the light, casting small beams of sun around the room. 

"Your attire is complete Your Highness, and not a moment to soon! We've got less than a minute until you make your grand entrance. We must hurry!" Geoff ran around the room, picking up my papers that I had written for my speech, and then dragged me out of the room by my left arm.

Rounding several corners, we arrived at the double doors that led into the Grand Ballroom. There was a knight at both doors, waiting for the signal to open the doors and allow me entrance. I took a breath to try and calm myself as the trumpets sounded. 

And with that, the doors opened.


	3. Part 2 // Coming of Age

My heart was pounding as I looked at the crowd awaiting my arrival. I forced a nervous smile on my face as I descended down the staircase. My palms were sweaty and I could swear that my legs felt like they were made of lead, making my knees weak. Once I reached the last step, I looked up and cleared my throat. It was time for my first speech of the night, and my throat was swelling shut with all of the anxiety that I was feeling.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor to have you here for the night. As you know, this is my Coming of Age Ceremony. You are all called on by the Alpha and Omega Council to stand here as my witnesses to my words and deeds." Some people from the back cheered and the blood rushed to my face, causing my to stand there blushing in front of the citizens of what was to be my kingdom. I looked over at my father, where he stood beside Mother on the side of the room. He nodded at me and began to walk over until he was standing right next to me.

 

"Let the night begin!" He shouted, giving me a pat on the back before heading back towards my mum. I took a deep, deep breath as I watched the crowd sit down on the floor, crossing their legs over one another until they were looking as if they were about to begin some sort of chant, which I guess was as close to the truth as it could be. 

 

They began murmuring the prayer that connected us to our ancestors, swaying to the left, then the right, and back again. I bowed my head for the blessing that I knew was approaching, closing my eyes and taking in the soft spoken words.

 

May all we say and all we do,

please our ancestors,

the wolves,

And you. 

Guide our Alpha here today,

to find his mate,

and head the right way.

 

The room became silent and I rose my head back up again, nodding my head in gratitude for their efforts.I dug the paper out of my suit pocket, unfolding them. I snook a glance at Gemma, who sat in the front of the crowd. She shot me a wink, prompting me to begin.

 

"I, Alpha Harry Styles, am stood here before you on my 18th Birthday, ready to fulfill my Alpha status. I hereby declare that I will search for my mate as soon as this party ends, along with my chosen hunters. I will protect, care for, and love my mate, regardless of mental or physical disabilities. I will not abandon my mate as long as I live. I will provide for my mate, putting their needs above my own. My actions will be of the utmost respect and love towards my mate. I promise this and more in front of you today."

 

I read the address that was required by the Alpha and Omega Council , and then walked over to Geoff, who was holding a goblet filled with water. He handed me a pin, and I took it, pricking my thumb. I then turned and squeezed 5 drops in, one for each letter of my name, before taking the goblet out of his hands. As I held it in my hands, I stared in as my blood began to mix with the water, before raising it up to my lips, drinking it all in one swig. This was known as a blood oath, and I had just taken it for my future mate, promising them everything I had to offer. To break this oath would mean an immediate and painful death. 

 

Geoff then came and took the goblet from me, and gave me a small cloth to tie around my thumb. I breathed a sigh of relief as I realized that the night was nearly half way done. Next would be the selection of my Night Hunters. I returned to my spot in front of the staircase and motioned for my father to come stand by my side. It was tradition for the father of the Alpha of Honor to call for his two hunters, who would bestow their position to the son's chosen hunters.

 

"I call forward my two hunters, Yaser and Mark." 

 

The two men rose from the floor with grace, swiftly walking through the rows of people to flank my father.

 

"It is now time for Harry to choose his hunters. Who will it be, Son?" My father had a proud smile on his face as he announce the next part of the tradition. I smiled at him before turning back to face the crowd.

 

"I proclaim Niall Horan and Zayn Malik as my hunters!" Applause broke out between the people and I glanced over at Yaser to find a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Zayn was his son, and being chosen as a hunter, especially one of an Alpha of royal stature, was a huge honor that was only bestowed on a few people.

 

Niall and Zayn had huge smiles on their faces as they came up to the front, pulling me into a hug with them. They whispered their thanks and released me, turning their attention to Yaser and Mark.

 

"Do you Zayn Malik agree to be a hunter for Prince Harry Styles, promising to protect him with your life and assist him on his hunts? Will you uphold his dignity and help him find his mate?" Yaser asked, pride lasted in his voice. 

 

Zayn looked up at his dad, smilinging, before saying, "I do."

 

Mark repeated the same speech for Niall, who was beaming from ear to ear. He also agreed to be my hunter without hesitation. My father then placed a hand on each of their shoulders before saying, "I present to you the hunters of Alpha Harry Styles!" Once again, there was thunderous applause, as well as a few shouts of happiness.

The crowd began the traditional dance of The Night Hunters. I turned back to Yaser and Mark, shaking their hands and giving them my thanks for taking part in tonight's events. They bid their congratulations to me and went on their way to join in on the dance. 

When it was done, I walked into the middle of the dance floor where everyone formed a circle around me. It was now time to discover the scent of my mate. Alphas at the ceremony were to leave to room, as well as every mated Omega to narrow down the scents in the room. Then, their mother of the Alpha of the night would bring forth a water basin and towel. The Alpha was to wash away their own scent using the basin filled with water as well as an old remed to remove pheromones and smells, and then to wipe their hands on the towel. Every Alpha, whether they knew their mate or not, would have their mate's scent laying underneath their own. 

I walked forward to my mother while every Alpha and mated Omega filed out of the room. My mother walked over to me and I then went through the process, completing it in less than a minute. 

Everyone remained silence as my mum then passed me the towel, where I could smell the scent of my future mate. I inhaled deeply, and a smile broke over my face. The crowd, or what was left of them, clapped and then went to get those out in the hall. I buried my face into the towel once more and then made my way back towards Zayn and Niall. 

"The search begins tonight, yeah?" Niall questioned, staring intently at every girl that walked passed us. I nodded. 

I grew up with Niall and Zayn. Zayn's father was my father's best friend, meaning Zayn was always around to play. Niall on the other hand I had met on my first day of school. He was the only kid, besides Zayn of course, that wasn't afraid of my bodyguard Ron. Since I went to school with the other citizens' children, Mum and Dad had required Ron to accompany me wherever I went. I have no idea why Niall wasn't terrified by my bodyguard, but I was so grateful to have had at least two friends. 

We grew stronger throughout the years, and I knew as soon as I presented as Alpha that these two boys would become my hunters. 

"Harry? What scent are we tracking?" Zayn said, shaking me out of my flashbacks of when we were younger. 

"Um," I sniffed the towel a little bit more, "I'm getting some cinnamon? But like its also kind of sugary at the same time."

"Sweet mate. Literally!" Niall laughed at his own (dumb) joke while Zayn and I rolled our eyes at him. I heard the telltale sign of the clock tower's chime, and knew that it was midnight, meaning the party was over. I looked on as the crowd began to disperse, receiving warm wishes and heartfelt congratulations from most of the citizens. 

After the last person left, Zayn, Niall, and I gathered into some sort of a huddle. 

Zayn cleared his throat, and then said "It's time to look for your mate Harry."


	4. Part 4// At Long Last

Harry's POV:

I awoke with a groan, my head pounding from all of the taxing events that had happened last night at my ceremony. Rolling over, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes willing myself to wake myself up enough to get ready for the day ahead. 

I felt a tug on my shirt, and cam face to face with Zayn and Niall, who each held a 4 inch binder in their hands. 

"We've been awake since dawn, Harry." Niall said as he plunked down onto my bed, setting the binder next to him on the dovet cover. Zayn pulled over an armchair that was collecting dust in the corner of my room, and sat down, opening the binder. 

"Alright. So while you were getting your much needed beauty sleep, Niall and I have been typing up a list of every inmates Omega. I have the girls with last names starting with A-L and Niall has M-Z. We are currently working on sniffing out girls with the last name starting with a D. We finished A-C this morning and found 4 possible candidates for the scent you described." Zayn pulled out a sheet of paper with over 50 names. Beside each name was either a tick or an 'x'. There were only four of them, so I assumed they were the girls that Zayn was talking about. 

Under each name was a brief description listing their full name, age, hair color, and eye color. I examined the girls whose names had a tick next to them. 

Arthur, Cassidy Noelle   
Age: 17  
Hair Color: Red  
Eye Color: Brown

Black, Georgia Rose  
Age: 22  
Hair Color: Black  
Eye Color: Green

Clark, Hadley Anne  
Age: 26  
Hair Color: Blonde  
Eye Color: Hazel

Connors, Diana Marie  
Age: 19  
Hair Color: Brown  
Eye Color: Blue

When I finished reading, I looked up at Zayn to find both him and Niall staring intently at me. I brows furrowed in confusion. "Can I help you?"

Niall pouted. "Nothing? My dad told me that when he saw Mum's name on the slip of paper his hunters handed him that he knew it was her instantly." A slight frown formed on his face. 

"Maybe you're different. Like perhaps seeing her face will trigger something in you and it will just click. We should meet them just in case." Zayn said, taking the papers from me and placing them back into the binder. He and Niall both stood up, their binders in tow. 

"You get dressed and we'll wait outside for you. Then we'll go and meet the girls, yeah?" Niall patted me on the back on their way out, closing the door behind them. 

I through on some clothes, brushed my teeth, and shook out my hair a bit before closing the door to my room as I made my way towards the front of the castle where Zayn and Niall were waiting. 

"Alright, so who is first?" I asked as we walked out the door. Zayn pulled out the sheet of girls, checking the list for names. 

"Cassidy Arthur. Niall and I wrote down their address if they smelled close to what you described, so we are gonna head towards the stables. Her house is just a few paces to the right of them." 

We walked down the street, ignoring the glances and shouts from the townspeople. Eventually, we reached Cassidy's house, and Niall and Zayn pushed me towards the front door, then went to the street giving us some space in case this was the first time I would meet my mate. 

"Hello- Oh my! Your Highness, welcome! We are so honored to have you here!" A girl opened the door, who I assumed was Cassidy seeing as her appearance for the description I had read early. 

Smiling, I spoke, "Yes, my father wishes for me to try and get to know the people more, seeing as I'll be taking over soon. I just wanted to make an appearance and let your family know that I will always put my citizens first." I was lying through my teeth but she didn't need to know that. Her smell was nothing compared to what I had experienced last night, meaning she was not my mate. 

We chatted for a minute longer before I bid her goodbye, walking over to Niall and Zayn. 

"Nothing?" Niall asked, a defeated look on his face. I shrugged and watched Zayn cross her name off of the list. 

"Well, who's next?" I was not at all detected by this first failed attempt. It took my dad ages to find Mum, and Gemma still hasn't found her mate yet. 

"Georgia Rose. She's actually down the road from Cassidy's home." We set off towards her house, Zayn leading us in the right direction. 

Despite the high hopes, the same exact thing happened with each girl that Zayn and Niall had assumed to match the scent. By the end of the day, we were exhausted, and had gone through girls with the surnames A-H. 

"We'll find her Haz, don't you worry your pretty little head!" Niall assured me as he and Zayn sat down at the small desk in my chambers. They worked tirelessly and I couldn't be more grateful for my hunters. Each and every move they made reassured me that I had made the right decision in choosing them to assist me in this long journey. 

"To be quite honest with you, I'm not feeling discouraged at all. I kind of came into this expecting it to take a while, and I know that she's out there, the perfect girl for me. All we have to do is find her." A soft smile fell upon their faces, and we all agreed to call it a day. 

They shuffled onto my bed, where they would be staying until we found my mate. We went through the list one more time, double checking that we visited all the girls whose scents were marginally close to my mates. 

Finally, we decided to turn in for the night. My maids came in and made up the bed that was in my guest gamblers for Zayn and Niall, and I flipped back onto mine after bidding them goodnight. As my eyes hit the pillow, all I could think about was the sweet scent of my mate, and a pair of piercing blue eyes. 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

We woke at sunrise once again, and I had our breakfast delivered to my quarters. While Niall was stuffing his face, it dawned on me to tell them about the vision I had had before I went to sleep. 

"Um, so last night I think I had a partial vision of my mate?" I said, though it sounded more like a question than anything. They both whipped their heads towards me, setting down their silverware slowly. 

"This is fantastic news Harry! That's how me Dad met Mum! He had a flash of the colour of her hair and then it narrowed his list down by nearly half!" Zayn said excitedly, running over to the stack of papers containing the files of unmated omegas. 

"Yeah. I had a glimpse of like really bright blue eyes. They were lovely, really..." I spoke, trailing off towards the end. 

"Right. Okay that's gonna be a great help mate. All we've got to do is find the blue eyed ones from now on." Niall declared as he continued to stuff his mouth. Zayn, however, set back to work, scanning through the packet of people, crossing off names every few seconds. 

We sat in silence, me picturing my mate's eyes, Niall eating, and Zayn working on narrowing down my suitors. Eventually he finished and counted up the amount of females left, leaving us with a grand total 79 names remaining. 

"So I guess we'll just repeat the process again today, and if you get anymore hints of their appearance, we'll make changes in accordance." Niall hurriedly squirmed into a shirt, before walking out the door, leaving Zayn and I no choice but to follow him. We turned towards the right, taking the hallway out of the West Wing of the palace and heading towards the commons area. Just before we reached the stairs, however, a delicious aroma overcame me, and my entire body tensed in response. I halted my footsteps, breathing in and out deeply. Zayn and Niall didn't notice I had stopped until they heard my whimper at the thought that I was so close to my mate. 

"Haz? You okay?" Niall questioned, stepping towards me slowly. I shook my head, my body quivering at the knowledge that my mate was so close I could literally taste it. I narrowed in on the scent and found it coming from the left, and I bolted in that direction before either of my hunters could stop me. 

Running down the corridor, I ignored Niall and Zayn's shouts for me to come back. I just knew I had to follow that scent. I shoved the guards and servants out of the way, not caring about the yells and grunts that I left in my wake. I darted down yet another hallway, running at full speed. At last, I reached my destination, and pushed open the double doors that lead into the library, stumbling upon a small man who was reshelving the books. 

Time froze as I stared at the beautiful Omega for what felt like hours. Nothing could've prepared me for what the privilege of knowing he was mine would do to me. I could practically feel his emotions running through my veins. His scent was all consuming, and glancing at his face I watched in sheer adoration as he curled his lip, blushing and meeting my gaze. I inhaled, knowing that this little Omega was everything that I have been living for, and not knowing how empty I was before he came into my life at long last. 

All I could think of was how he was mine, and I knew in this moment that I was going to surrender everything I was to be his, to keep such a fragile being happy and safe and loved. It didn't matter that he was male, all that I cared about was his happiness and health. 

I hesitantly stepped closer to him, not wanting to scare him off before I got the chance to prove myself to him. He walked closer to me, and I could hear his heartbeat growing faster with each step. 

"H-Hello Your Majesty," he stuttered, nearly tripping over himself in an attempt to kneel before me. My stomach twisted. He was too deserving to be beneath me. I gently cupped his chin, tilting his face towards my eyes, purring happily as I took in the cerulean blue before me. 

"None of that, love. You are far too precious to be kneeling before me." I said softly, pulling him up so that he was standing in front of me, not even an inch of space between us. His breathing stuttered and I felt his heart beating like a drum beneath my hand, which rested on his back. 

"We are equals now. You may be an Omega who needs protection and longs for affection, but neither you nor myself will be more powerful in this relationship."

His smile was overwhelming, and I loved the way his eyes sparkled in pure happiness. I was so infatuated with his scent and look and him that I didn't even notice Zayn and Niall running into the room, out of breath. I hissed, jumping in front of my Omega at the thought of other Alphas walking into the room, and relaxed slightly when I realized it was just my hunters. 

Their faces had matched expressions of unease, and I felt the boy behind me tense. I let out a warning growl, and they stopped where they stood. 

"Harry. It's just Zayn and I, yeah? We're not gonna hurt you or him alright? We're your hunters. You trust us." Niall spoke, pleading me to back out of my protective stance. I shook my head a little to clear my thoughts, and slowly eased back to my normal posture, watching as they sighed in relief. 

"Would you care to introduce us?" Zayn asked, a relaxed smile gracing his face. I felt my cheeks flood with warmth at the fact that I hadn't even thought to ask my mate's name. 

I turned to face him and spoke softly, "You know my name, yet I do not know yours." He let out a small laugh, eyes shining. 

"Louis." 

"It's lovely to meet you Louis." I whispered, brushing the fringe from his forehead. A cough brought me out of the little bubble, and I put my hand on the small of Louis's back, guiding him over to meet my hunters. 

"Louis, meet my hunters, Zayn and Niall. Lads, meet my mate Louis."

A gasp was heard from the doorway, and all four of us turned to look at the face of my angry and heartbroken Mother, standing their with fists at her side.


	5. Part 5 // Darkness

We all stood there, our breathes the only noise in the room. I held Louis's hand tight in my own, feeling how sweaty and nervous he was becoming with the glare my mother was directing at him. She finally broke the silence, her face red with anger, "Harry Edward Styles! Let go of that boy this instant!" Louis let out a small whimper that only I could hear, but it was enough for me to growl, defending our newfound relationship. 

"Mum he's my mate, I'm not gonna leave his side. You're crazy if you think that I'll leave him alone with you!"

"Harry, sweetheart, I just want what is best for you. Your mum knows best, and all I want is for you to get over this crazy misconception. He's obviously not your mate, Harry. He's a bloody boy for crying out loud!" She screamed, drawing the attention of nearby servants. A growl ripped out of me, and Zayn and Niall inched forward in concern. 

"Ah! Boys you can see how stupid Prince Harry is being, can't you? Tell him how naive and childish he is being!" My mother pleaded at my hunters, but it was a fetal attempt. She of all people knew how hunters were pledged to the Alpha, especially in matters concerning the Alpha's mate. I turned to face them, and let out a silent sigh of relief at the look of determination and protectiveness on their faces.

"With all due respect Your Highness, Zayn and I fully support Harry's decision and still plan on assisting him with his courtship with Louis. Regardless of his gender, Louis is definitely Harry's mate. His scent matched perfectly with what Harry has told us, and he's even had a vision about him. It's no use trying to prove otherwise." Niall spoke as he moved to stand on the side of Louis, guarding him. Zayn quickly followed suit, flanking the other side, and all of us turned to face my mother, bracing ourselves for her fury. 

"Harry stop this act! I need you to listen to me. All I want is for you to be safe and happy. I'm your mother, now I say this out of love when I tell you to step away from this boy before I call the guards on you!" She shouted, motioning the palace guards over to stand next to her. 

I let out a bitter laugh. "If you loved me, why would you stand there screaming at me? All you want is some girl for me to settle down with. You don't want me to be different! All I need, Mother, is to be with somebody like Louis! And now that I have him you best believe that I will stand by his side for the rest of my life, if he'll have me."

I directed the last part at Louis, watching the corner of his lips turn up, giving me a slight nod of the head. I placed a chaste kiss on his forehead before glancing at my mother, who directed the guards at us. I took off in a sprint out of the double doors, dragging Louis behind me. Shouts were calling after us, and I glanced to my right to find Niall running beside me. I shot him a look of worry, silently asking where the hell Zayn wandered off to at a time like this, and then darted to the left, running down a corridor and arriving at the balcony attached to the ballroom. 

I halted at the edge of balcony, which overlooked the Southern side of The Wall. The palace backed up of the south side of The Wall, over a lake which was our best shot at getting out of here. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of angry voices, and I turned to find my mother running out of the palace doors, guards in tow. 

"You can't leave! You'll never be able to get back in! Think this through! Just leave the poor boy!"

"If you think I'm coming back, don't hold your breath!" I watched as Zayn came dashing out onto the balcony, shoving aside guards as he ran to meet us. He handed each of us a rucksack, and with that we jumped off the ledge, seconds before the guards would have reached us. We plummeted down into the lake below. I plunged into the dark and murky water, still grasping Louis's hand tightly in mine. With a gasp, I surfaced, meeting the eyes of my mate and hunters. Their teeth were shattering, but Zayn and Niall had wide smiles predominating their faces'. Louis in the other hand looked a bit scared, but determined nonetheless. I motioned for them to stay quite as we heard my mother order the guards to shoot arrows at anything that moved. They nodded, and followed my lead as I dived back into the frigid water, swimming to the other side of the bank.

Once we arrived, I heaved myself onto land, before hoisting Louis out, and then assisting Zayn and Niall. When we were all out, we began to slowly crawl over to the edge of a nearby forest. A few thorns snagged my clothes, but I kept moving, making sure that everyone was alright. As soon as we reached the cover of the trees, we stood up and began to run as fast as we could, putting the voices and screams of anger and disgust behind us. The world blurred around me as we hustled through unknown territory, shivering from the cold and fear that began to surrounded us as we looked back at The Wall. 

Eventually, Louis began to tire, so I picked up my young Omega, and made quick work of fleeing deeper into the woods. Soon, my lungs began to ache, and I could no longer feel my feet as we left behind the one place we had ever known. I could hear Niall gasping for breath and Zayn's pants as we trekked on. The goal was to settle down in a location that provided enough shelter for me to protect and care for my new mate, as well as give my thanks to Niall and Zayn. I knew that it would be difficult, but I had already promised myself that I would let no harm come to Louis, knowing that if he was hurt, or even worse, dead, that I would long and ache for my mate to be reunited safely with me. 

Huffing, I urged my even feet farther, knowing that if we could at least get out of the woods, we'd be able to hopefully see or hear the hybrids coming. I glanced down at my little, trembling Omega, worry bubbling in the pit of my stomach. These conditions were less than ideal, and I could never forgive myself for exposing him to such harsh conditions. 

At long last, we reached a clearing that backed up to a mountain. I walked over to the rock formation, setting Louis down gently. He had fallen asleep a few hundred yards back and I didn't want to wake him. I set down the bag Zayn had given me, before plopping down beside Louis, exhaustion overcoming me. Zayn sat gracelessly next to me, lying down on the ground. Niall's snores were all I could hear as I nodded in and out of consciousness. As I closed my eyes, I saw a figure lurking in the shadows, but by the time I understood what it meant, I was already under.


	6. Part 5 // Stranger Danger

I awoke slowly, cringing at the pain shooting through my neck. Groaning, I rolled onto my back, eyes closed to ensure the sun wouldn't blind me.

Wait...the sun?

I sat up quickly, immediately looking around as it all came rushing back to me. I remembered finding Louis, running from the kingdom, and camping out in the forest last night. We were all together and not in any danger, for now. My breathing slowed as I realized that I was in fact fine. Perfectly safe. 

Snap. 

I whipped my head forward, meeting the eyes of a strange man standing above Niall's slumbering body. A growl whipped through me at the thought of some man hurting my friends or even my mate, and I rose slowly. My knees bent and my shoulders taught, I walked over to him. He growled back, surprising me. Couldn't he see that if the boys woke up it would be four against one? A sure win for us? He draped himself over Niall, giving me a warning growl to stay away. 

Like hell!

I sprung forward, pouncing on him, but being careful not to injure Niall in my haste. The stranger whimpered, but rolled over so that he was on top of me, pinning me to the ground. I wriggled my body, freeing my arms from his grasp, and winding my arm up to punch him straight in the nose, watching as the blood trickled down his face. 

"Back off!" I shouted, standing over Niall, who's eyes were glazed over, heavy with sleep. His expression was one of shock, and I didn't blame him. He'd just awoken to a fight in the middle of the forest; crazy. 

"Step away from my mate before I do something that I regret." The man said, his voice low and dangerous. My eyes widened in surprise, glancing over to where Niall was lying, looking up at the man with dazed eyes.

"Listen, I don't know what you are think-"

"Haz, stop. It's okay, he's telling the truth." Niall said, standing slowly and making his way towards his...mate. I watched in confusion and slight fondness as the man took Niall into his arms, stroking Niall's cheek with his thumb. 

"Haz? What's going on?" Louis asked, walking over slowly and whispering into my ear. I quickly wrapped my arms around him, keeping a watchful eye on Niall and his supposed mate. 

"I'm not quite sure, love. I woke up to find this guy all over Niall. I thought he was here to hurt us, seeing as we are in hybrid territory and all, but he and Niall are saying they are mates."

Louis hummed, resting his head on my shoulder in content. "He'll be fine Haz. You of all people know that if he's Niall's mate that he won't hurt him. Besides, that means that we will have one more person to help us stay safe out here!" Louis exclaimed, happiness radiating out of him. 

"Um, guys? Who the hell is that?" Zayn asked, his hair going in every direction possible. We followed his gaze to Niall and Liam, who were having a rather explicit make out session on the grass, not paying any mind to the rest of us. 

"Well...that's Niall's mate." I said, helping Zayn up from the ground. He raised an eyebrow at the explanation, but otherwise seemed approving of the relationship. We sat in silence, giving them a moment to bask in the glory that is finding your mate, something Louis and I never really had a chance to do now that I'm thinking about it. I'd have to steal him away for a while. 

"Guys, this is Liam. Liam, meet Harry, Louis, and Zayn!" Niall shouted, his eyes full of glee. I nodded at Liam, and he gave a sheepish wave and then greeted the rest of the boys. 

"I just want to apologize for the way I acted towards you Harry. It was wrong of me to fight you without telling you the situation we were in. I guess I kind of lost it when another Alpha went to protect my mate. I sort of saw it as a challenge to win his affections or something." Liam said, his eyes landing on Niall. Anyone could see the adoration they had for each other, and I calmed slightly knowing that he was telling the truth about him and Niall. 

"All is forgiven. It's really no problem. Just wanted to keep my hunter safe and what not." I said, nodding towards Niall with my head. 

"It's great to meet you Liam. You have one hell of a mate!" Zayn spoke, shaking Liam's hand. We watched as Niall's face filled with a blush, and Louis let out a laugh at the embarrassment of our friend. 

"Hello Liam! You got lucky with little Nialler there. Just know that Harry will beat you if you hurt him!" Louis smiled brightly, eyes twinkling as Liam visibly blanched. I let out a chuckle and invited Liam over to sit at our haphazardly set up camp. 

"So what brings you all the way out here? I mean, it's dangerous for people who don't know their way around. I'm surprised you even made it his far to be quite honest with you." Liam spoke up, settling down beside Niall. 

"What do you mean? You live out here?" Louis didn't bother to hide his fascination, and I found my self yet again reminded of how much I already loved my little omega. 

"I've lived around here my entire life."

Zayn's eyes blew wide open with shock and a small gasp escaped Louis. 

"How did you get out of the kingdom? Where are you living?" I questioned. 

A small smile graced his face, and he stared down at his hands as he fidgeted around. "I never actually lived in the kingdom. My parents fled after they were given a death sentence by the King and Queen. They wondered out here, found some people like them and settled down. A few years later one of the others died, leaving behind a little baby, me. They took me in and I've been with them ever since." 

"Wow." I was shocked to hear how my parents had driven people out before, even threatening to kill. We had assumed we were the first ones. I guess I never really knew them that well after all. "Why were they given the death sentence?" I asked, not able to help myself. 

"Because they are just like you and me and Louis and Niall; a same-sex couple."


	7. Part 6 // Warm Embraces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please alert me of any grammatical errors! 
> 
> Enjoy! xx

My heart dropped deep down in my chest. 

"So you're telling me that my own parents, the ones who've raised me since birth, taught me everything I've ever known, have been killing and exiling people like me without a second glance? Just like that?" I shouted fearfully, not quite ready to hear Liam's confirmation. 

His eyes filled with a grave sadness and he nodded, causing a small tear to escape. 

"I am so sorry," my voice cracked as more tears came trickling out, "I swear I had no clue any of this was going on, and you are all out here suffering because of my family. If I had just known what was going on I would have done something..."

I hung my head low in shame, only lifting it higher when Louis nuzzled into my arm, filling me with love, dragging me out of my self-loathing and disgrace. 

"Trust me Harry. It's not just your parents, the kings and queens have been doing this to people like us for ages. We've had couples from before The Wall was finished living out here. In fact we've actually got a little graveyard going for those who were finished living out their life." Liam explained as he pulled Niall up and into his chest, resting his head on his shoulder. 

"My dads would be able to explain it better, life experience and all, but there's several generations of us living and surviving outside of The Wall. We've learned how to take care of not only ourselves, but each other."

"Could we see? Where it is you live?" Niall asked, eyes wide and curious as ever. 

"Of course. We don't really stay in one place for very long though, so I can't promise you'll meet everyone today. Normally the hybrids or the royal family finds us, so we have to keep moving. We unfortunately can't stop time, and where we go the second we leave is pretty much undefined. We have to make our own path up as we go, you know?"

\-------------------------------------------

After a half hour of walking through the wilderness, we arrived at the village where, for the time being, Liam and his family were living. Our eager eyes soaked in the different housing structures, from wood to stone to houses built into hillsides, the village had more diversity than I had ever seen in my life, which was minimal at best. 

When Liam finally stopped walking, we had arrived outside of one of the newer houses that were built into hillsides. 

He turned to face us. "I'm gonna go warn my parents about everything that's going on, that way no on is thrown into a panic mode of sorts, alright?" We all nodded, and with that he walked into the house. 

It was a few minutes later that Liam's parents came out, shocked and a bit hysterical, but happy to see us nonetheless. 

"Oh my god! How've you found us? You're one of us? All this time..." The taller man said, murmuring more words under his breath. The second man lightly swatted the other man's chest, nodding his head at us and mouthing the words 'calm down' and 'focus' in between a few whispers here and there. 

The taller man locked eyes with me immediately after, offering a wide smile. "Hello! My name is Paul and this is my husband Ed. It's really an honor to meet you all, to believe that this many of you came to us at the same time is nearly unheard of. The only time we had this many homosexual matings was back when our little group was just starting. They normally wander aimlessly in the woods until either the hybrids or royal family get to them."

I shifted, uncomfortable at the possibility that we all could've died today, and didn't miss the small whimper Louis emitted from beside me. 

Noticing our discomfort, Paul shifted gears. He spoke clearly and confidently, shaking each of our hands until he reached Niall, whom he hugged. Ignoring the shock in Niall's eyes, Paul turned back to us. 

"So how did you end up here. Liam told us briefly how you reached our site, but before that we've got nothing to go off of."

I glanced at Louis, silently asking permission to tell them the story of our first meeting. The first true meeting was considered very sacred between an alpha and omega pairing, and it was rarely shared outside of family members. With a small nod, he motioned for me to continue. 

"I just celebrated my choosing ceremony a day ago where I chose Niall and Zayn as my hunters. Whilst we were searching for my mate, who at the time was believed to be female, I came across the most amazing scent, and traced it all the way back to Louis, a newly hired member of staff. I then spoke of our impending courtship, not knowing my mother was there listening, and she became furious. She and several guards chased all of us out of the castle and ordered guards to shoot us down once we were outside of the wall. We ran through the forest during the night, fell asleep, and woke up to Liam who lead us here." I said, rubbing soothing circles with my hand onto Louis' back, feeling his heart rate increase throughout the story. 

"You poor pair. You've not gotten a single moment to lay in the glory of your mating! Liam, you take Louis and Harry to a cleared field and I'll have Niall and Zayn catch me up on the rest!" Ed explained, shoving the two of us towards Liam. 

"Thank you," Louis whispered, a smile clearly on his face. 

I nodded my gratitude towards both Paul and Ed, and then put the remainder of my focus on my mate, breathing in his scent, and feeding off of his excitement at our first real time alone together. 

"Are you guys ready?" Liam asked, already a few paces ahead of us. 

"Lead the way," I shouted, joining hands with Louis.


End file.
